DOZENS of protesters have called on the police to protect their streets and homes that have become a “criminal’s paradise” following the closure of police stations.

Residents rallied around a pub landlord, a councillor and an MP to demand why east Cleveland communities feel unsafe with “drugs on every street corner” and “kids causing havoc”.

The protest, held on Saturday outside the Railway Arms in Brotton, east Cleveland, saw residents of all ages carrying banners and placards in a campaign to build a strong police presence in the area.

Addressing a crowd of around 100 members of the community representing Brotton, Loftus, Carlin How and the surrounding areas, Railway Arms landlord, Graham Cutler, said his neighbours were locking their doors at 4pm and not leaving their houses.

He said: “Drugs are on every street corner and everyone is feeling unsafe. Why should we feel like that? We shouldn’t at all.

“We have no confidence in the police, none whatsoever. We get no police and we’ve had none up here hardly for the last two or three years.

“We’re not making a good example to our youngsters and they think all this crime happening is quite normal, but it isn’t.

“We’ve got three police stations in our area – Saltburn, which is closed, Loftus, which is closed, and Guisborough.

“We’re asking for help here. At the end of the day, we need to feel safe.”

He was joined by Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland MP Simon Clarke for the rally and was met with a round of applause by protesters after sending a message to Cleveland Police Crime Commissioner, Barry Coppinger.

The Conservative MP said: “Just this week, we had an elderly gentleman who was trying to stop the theft of some designer sunglasses and he was threatened with a use drug needle. It took the police six days to follow up on that.

“How is that acceptable? I want to challenge Barry Coppinger and the leadership of Cleveland Police – would you want to live in an area that is police so lightly?”

He added: “We just heard some talk about Tory cuts, but I’d like to say this isn’t about politics, it’s about policing in east Cleveland.

“I heard all around our community from farmers in Kirkleatham and Skelton that they’re equipment is being nicked and they don’t know how they’re going to put an end to trespass and theft.

“I’ve heard it from Graham that his bouncers are often the only way to keep any order in Brotton on a Friday night.

“I’ve heard it from people in Loftus – we’ve had the drug needle issue – that what’s so clear is that in the end, if you have a climate of opportunity for criminals, they’re going to embrace it.”

However, Cleveland Police’s Mr Coppinger has written to six MPs in the area to state that Government funding to the force has been cut by £39 or 36 per cent over the past seven years with a loss of 450 police officers.

The PCC said: “This is as serious a situation as I have faced in the five years since I was first elected Commissioner.

“In that time I have attended over 500 community meetings. The overwhelming message I receive is that the public are full of admiration for the excellent job of work police officers and staff do – they just wish there were more of them and I totally agree.

“The force and partners have worked incredibly hard to deliver an effective service in extremely challenging times. It’s now time for the Government to do its bit.

“With the Chief Constable, I will continue to lobby the Home Secretary and Prime Minister for fairer funding and I would urge MPs of all parties to do the same.”